The RPM Friction Pro V2 is among the best Gen 3 paddles I've tested, and I'm planning to keep playing with it in tournaments. It gets me the best spin of any paddle right now, with great control, a large sweet spot, and power that doesn’t sacrifice feel.
Co-designed with top-10 world-ranked pro James Ignatowich, this new Friction Pro takes the crazy spin of the original model and brings in a way more-rounded performance and better-balanced weighting. It costs $250 but our exclusive 15% discount with RPM takes it under $215.
The RPM Friction Pro V2 is not only one of the best pickleball paddles for spin, it's a rounded paddle that just clicked immediately for me within the first few shots. It can drive the ball from the baseline, hold up in fast hands exchanges at the kitchen, and give you the grit to roll aggressive drops at your opponents' feet. It may not be the absolute hardest-hitting paddle out there, but if you want an all-court paddle with awesome spin, control, and forgiveness, it's a great-value alternative to a paddle like the JOOLA Perseus Pro V, which plays very similarly but costs almost $90 more.Today's best deals
Buy or pass?
Buy if:
You want to generate heavy topspin:
RPM's trademark CarbonBite grit grabs the ball and lets you roll aggressive drops into the kitchen and put awesome dip on your drives.
You want control with good power behind it:
this paddle can drive and drop with ease, but it has plenty of pop at the kitchen to counter-punch effectively.
You like a light, fast-feeling paddle:
at 7.9 oz, with excellent balance, it feels surprisingly maneuverable for an elongated shape.
Pass if:
You want maximum raw power:
this paddle has strong pop but if you’re chasing that explosive, trampoline power then check out the Holbrook Fuze or Selkirk Boomstik.
You want a full-foam paddle:
like JOOLA, RPM is not yet buying into the foam paddle craze. I like that, but check out the CRBN TruFoam Barrage if you want a Gen 4 paddle instead.
You're on a stricter budget:
with our discount, this is a great-value paddle at just over $200, but don't fret if you want something half the price – check out the best pickleball paddles under $100.
That Gen 3 feel and spin I love
I really enjoyed playing with the RPM Friction Pro V2. It's a step up from the original RPM Friction Pro, which had the same intense spin but less control and forgiveness. It also had weighting issues that are well and truly fixed here.
RPM (revolutions per minute), as the name suggests, is all about making the best spin paddles. There really is crazy friction on the ball from this CarbonBite grit. I was able to get heavy topspin on drops, rolling them aggressively into the kitchen at my opponents’ feet rather than landing the ball flatly.
On control, dinking is comfortable and predictable, resets are soft and accessible, and the paddle gives you enough touch to shape the ball exactly where you want it. The combination of a big sweet spot and controlled pop makes it a paddle I'd feel comfortable putting in almost anyone’s hands.
While it doesn't blow you away with raw power, the ball comes off the face quickly and with authority, which is exactly what you want when you're counter-punching at the kitchen or finishing a putaway.
Unless you're a power junkie, the RPM Friction Pro V2 is a top all-court paddle. At $250, it's in a tough field with the likes of Paddletek and CRBN. With our 15% discount, you can grab this paddle for under $215, which is an excellent value in today's market. If you dig the Gen 3 paddle feel, this is an amazing alternative to the $300 JOOLA Pro V series.
Paddle Weight
7.9 oz
Paddle Length
16.5 inches
Paddle Width
7.5 inches
Handle Length
5.5 inches
Grip Circumference
4.125 inches
Paddle Face Material
Carbon fiber
Core Material
Tri-density core
Core Thickness
14 or 16 mm
Sweet Spot
Large
How the PADDLE plays
| Category | Rating | Notes |
| Power | 8.5/10 | This paddle has excellent pop. Where it falls slightly short is in raw, baseline-level power: pure drives and serves off the bounce don't have that "ball-exploding-off-the-paddle" sensation that something like the Selkirk Boomstik gives you. For most players, though, the power here is more than sufficient. |
| Control | 9/10 | This is one of the V2's strongest attributes. Crucially, it manages to feel like a control paddle even though it also has legitimate power, which is a difficult balance to strike. Drops, resets, and third-shot plays all felt clean and repeatable. |
| Spin | 10/10 | The CarbonBite surface earns its name. For players building out an aggressive drop game, this paddle is a real asset. The grit will wear over time – it's a standard carbon fiber face rather than a permanently-textured surface – but in testing it held up well and showed no significant falloff. |
| Forgiveness | 9/10 | The Tri-Density Core and the large sweet spot work together to make this a forgiving paddle. Mishits don't feel punishing, and I never had one of those dead-zone moments where you look down at your paddle wondering what happened. Equally importantly, it doesn't overreact on resets – it doesn't go too hot at the kitchen when you just need to absorb a ball. |
| Weighting | 9/10 | For an elongated paddle, the weight distribution is exceptionally balanced. It doesn't drag, and it doesn't feel like the head is getting away from you on fast exchanges. |
| Grip | 9/10 | The stock grip is comfortable and does a solid job holding up under moisture. I had no slippage or stability issues during long sessions, and the 5.5-inch handle gives plenty of room for a two-handed backhand without feeling cramped. |
| Durability | 8.5/10 | The grit has held up well across sessions, better than some comparable carbon fiber surfaces I've tested. That said, this isn't an all-foam or permanent-grit paddle – the surface will wear over time, and as a Gen 3 honeycomb construction, delamination is a risk to be aware of, as with any paddle in this category. RPM backs it with a one-year warranty, which provides some peace of mind. |
| Aerodynamics | 8.5/10 | Fast in the hand, especially for an elongated paddle. I had no problems winning hands battles at the kitchen or reacting quickly to speed-ups. My preferred strategy is to invite opponents to speed the ball up, then block it at their feet – and this paddle executes that play well. It's maneuverable enough to be effective as an aggressive counter-punching paddle at the net. |
✅ Pros
Same RPM spin, better overall results
The V2 lives up to its "Friction Pro" name. The spin is outstanding, but what actually makes it a better paddle than its predecessor is how much else it does well. The V2 doesn't rely only on spin – it has better feel, weighting, control, and forgiveness.
Expertly weighted
The weight balance is a standout quality. For an elongated shape, it plays like a nimble, well-centered tool – not a long, head-heavy lever like the Spartus P1 or Paddletek Reserve Honeyfoam. That translates directly to getting on top of drives quicker and handling fast exchanges more comfortably.
Great alternative to a JOOLA
I'd actually reach for the V2 over the $300 JOOLA Perseus Pro V – the weight balance felt sharper here, which made it easier to get on top of drives and turn my swing over quickly. When my feet were slightly off-balance, I could still rip the ball with confidence. That's a real credit to how well the paddle is weighted.
❌ Considerations
There are more powerful options
If I had to flag a limitation, it's that pure baseline power players may want to look elsewhere. This is not the paddle for players whose identity is built around hitting the heaviest serves and drives on the court. But for the vast majority of competitive players who need to win at the kitchen as much as the baseline, the V2 is an excellent match.
See our list of the best pickleball paddles for power.
Slightly cheaper rivals
The RPM is fairly priced at $250 (before discounts) but that does put it in the higher tier of paddles. You can find amazing $150 to $200 paddles like the Honolulu J2NF, FLiK F3, and Gherkin Draco. None have as much spin as the RPM but they're definitely big rivals.
Not a foam paddle
This is not an all-foam Gen 4 paddle, which are all the rage right now. It's a Gen 3 honeycomb paddle with an EVA foam perimeter, so it does carry some risk of delamination. RPM and JOOLA are the main brands I've seen bucking the foam trend.
Personally, the more I play with Gen 4 foam paddles, the more I love Gen 3 paddles. There's a livelier, poppier feel that matches my game. Once I picked up the RPM Friction Pro V2, I felt right at home again.
RPM Friction Pro V2 price – is it worth it?
Despite costing a lot more than paddles like the Bread & Butter Loco and 11SIX24 Vapor Power 2, the RPM Friction Pro V2 does earn its $250 price tag. For one, it has better spin than anything right now. Secondly, it was designed with pro player James Ignatowich. It's a premium paddle that truly excels at what it was built for.
If $250 still sounds like a stretch, our exclusive 15% discount with RPM takes it down to just $212.50. At that price, it's 100% worth it.
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Alternatives to the RPM Friction Pro V2
Not sure if the Friction Pro V2 is the right fit? Here are three alternatives worth considering depending on what you’re after:
Best for power and control
Holbrook Fuze
Best for raw power
Selkirk LABS Project Boomstik
Best mid-range alternative
Honolulu Sword & Shield J2NF
What even more options? Try my 30-second quiz and I'll recommend the best paddles for your play style and budget.
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